Improvement in potato-diggers



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Letters Patent No. 92,518, dated July 13,1869.

INIPROVEMENT 1N POTATO-DIG-G-ERS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.-

Figure 1 is a detail vertical section of our .improved machine, taken through the line zu: of iig. 2.

'Figure 2 is atop or plan view of the Same. J Similar letters of reference indicate' corresponding parts.

proved machine for digging potatoes, which shall be simple inconstruction, easily operated, and effective in operation; and

It consists in the construction and combination of the various partsof the machine, as hereinafter more fully described. Y

A are the wheels, which are attached to and revolve upon the journals of the axletree B, in the or`v vdinaryv manner.

C are the hounds, which are securely attached to the axle B, and to which the tongue D is pivoted, `in the ordinary manner.

E. is the plow, the plate or shovel of which is madev in about the forni shown inthe drawings, that `is to say, its forward part, vwhich enters the ground, is 'maden pointed or angling, as shown, and is so'formed that it.

maybe nearly in a horizontal position when working.

The rear part of the plow or plate E inclines slightly upward, and` is attached at its side edges to the side plates c', the lower edges of which are horizontal, and serve as landsides to the plow, and the upper parts of which serve as plow-standards, and are securely attached to the side beams ofthe frame F, the forward part of which passes beneath the axle B, as shown in tig. -1.

G are two bent draught-rods or bars, the rear ends of `-which are pivoted to the sides of the middle parts of the side beams of the frame F.

The forward ends ofthe rods G have screw-threads out upon them, and pass through the. axle B, to which they are adjustably secured by nut-s placed one upon each side ofthe said axle B, as shown in fig 2,.so that` by adjusting the said nuts the axle B may be moved back or forward to tighten or slackcn the endless chains.

To the inner ends of the hubs of the wheels A are securely attachedgear or spur-wheels H, the teeth or Y spurs ofwhich take hold of the links of the endless chains I, whichpass around said wheels H, and around the gear or spur-wheels J, attached to the ends of the vOur invention lhas for its object to furnish an im-` shaft K, so Athat the said shaft may be revolved by the advance of the machine.

The shaft K revolves in bearings securely attached to the side bars ofv the frame F, and from it project 'radial arms L, of such a length as to reach nearly to the plow-'plate E, sovasto'assist the potatoes and soil as they pass up thefsaid plate. y

M are-rods or arnis, attached to a bar, N, pivoted to the rear edge of the plow-plate E, so that the lower endsoof the bars or arms M may be drawn along the surface of the ground, thus forming an inclined rack,

down which the potatoes 1oll,'the soil raisedwith said 'potatoes passing through the spaces between the.

arms M. l.

To the lower ends of the arms M are pivoted the' forward ends ofthe rods O, whichare drawn throughy the ground, and the rear ends ot' which are forked, and turned upward, so that should any potatoes .be acci:

denially covered-with soil, they may be raised to the surface by the said rods O. 4

l? are knives, rigidly attached to a bar, Q, the ends of which are secured to the side bars of the frame F, in such a'plosition that the ends of the knives'l?l may overlap the ends of the revolving iingersor armsL, to Y cut off any vines or stalks that maybe caught'and carried over by the said arms L.

R is a lever, which is adjust-ably pivoted to. the standard S by a pin, which passes through the lever R, and through one or the other of the hol'es through thestandard S, according to the height kat which it is desired to adjust the said lever. l j

The lower end of the standard S is securely attached to the middle .part of the -axle B.

To the forward end of thelever R is attached a hook,

upon which hooks the bow of the longv staple or loop T, the ends of the arms of which are secured to the` forward cross-bar of the frame F, so that by operating the lever R the pitch of the plow-plate E maybe ad justed at pleasure, or the said plow may be raised out of the ground.'

vThe rear end of th'e level' R may be connected with.

the rear cross-bar of the frame F by a chain, U, at`

tached to said cross-bar, and adjustably connected with the end of thesaidlevcr R, as shown iniig. 1.

. 'V is a caster-wheel, the upper end of the standard of which enters and works in a socket formed in the under side of the middle part of the rear cross-bar of' the' frame F, as shown in iig." 1.

v 'lhe caster-wheel V is only .used while the machine is being drawn from place to place, and isy detached when the machine is being operated.- o

Having thus described our invention, `What we claim as new, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is y I l. The combination of the plowI E e, constructed as described, frame F, and adjustable connecting-rods Gr, with each other, and with the axle B, substantially as herein shown and forth.

2. The'combinatiouof the knives P and knifebar R with the frame F and revolving fingers or arms L, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose'set forth.

3. The combination of the adjustable standard S, lever R, and long loop or staple ill with each other, and with the axle B and frame F, substantially as described, andY for tbepurposeset v herein shown and described, and for the' purpose set forth. l

W. W. COLE.

T. MCGHEE.

Witnesses for W. W. COLE: O. H. BRACE, 1 Z. W. BRAGE.

Witnesses for T. MCGHEE:

C. KOPLEN, TUNRER MCGHEE. 

